<![CDATA[Leadership plays an important role in maintaining smooth operations and supporting employee performance effectiveness in a pharmacy work environment. In daily work, effective leadership is needed to ensure that tasks are clearly understood, responsibilities are properly distributed, and work-related challenges can be addressed appropriately. This study aims to describe the role of operational leadership in supporting employee performance effectiveness at Apotek Mentari. The study employed a descriptive qualitative approach, with data collected through semi-structured interviews involving four informants: the pharmacy head (I1), pharmacist (I2), pharmacy technician (I3), and pharmacy staff member (I4). The data were analyzed through coding, categorization, and thematic analysis to identify patterns emerging from the informants’ experiences. The findings show that operational leadership at Apotek Mentari is reflected in clear task direction, distribution of responsibilities according to employee capabilities, open communication, constructive supervision, performance evaluation, and responsive support when employees face work-related challenges. Clear communication and cooperation among employees were identified as supporting factors for effective performance, while busy operational conditions and increased workloads were found to be inhibiting factors in daily work. Overall, operational leadership supports employee performance through clear guidance, open communication, and responsive problem-solving. The study recommends maintaining and strengthening existing leadership practices, particularly by implementing a more structured and regular performance evaluation system to support continuous improvement in employee performance and operational effectiveness. These practices can help the pharmacy maintain smooth operations while providing employees with clearer guidance, appropriate support, and opportunities to improve their performance through regular evaluation and communication.]]>
